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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "diplomatic courier" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
  • "high court" (Barristers (lawyers) mentioned in 419 scams are always fake.)
  • "federal high court" (This court is often mentioned in '419' scams to give the victim a reason why he/she should send thousands of dollars to the scammers. A 'Federal High Court' exists in Germany and Nigeria, but not in other countries, such as the UK, Spain, Netherlands, Senegal, Benin, South Africa or other countries where fake lawyers in scams often claim to be based. )
  • "courier service" (Courier companies mentioned in 419 scams are always fake. They will have you send money to them, but won't deliver anything. )
  • "cotonou" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
  
• Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
• This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
  • +22993092212 (Benin, probably a prepaid mobile phone)

Fraud email example:

From: BANK OF AFRICA BANK <bankofafrica_25@yahoo.es>
Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:49:02 +0100 (CET)
Subject: URGENT RESPOND NEEDED





Rue 308 Reverend Pere,
Colineau Contonou. Republic du Benin.
CALL NOW Telephone: +229-9309 22 12
Fax: 229-9 954 558487
WELCOME TO DIAMOND BANK OF AFRICA BENIN MOTTO WE TRANSFER BUT GOD IS OUR POWER

THIS MESSAGE IS MADE TO BE READ BY THE ONLY THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT WHERE THIS BANK ARE GOING TO TRANSFER THE MONEY.NOW BE INFORMED THAT THE MONEY WHICH IS DEPOSITED HERE BY YOUR NAME.

ATTENTION MY EMAIL
THIS IS TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM Dr. Ebuke David
Director General
Diplomatic Courier Service Company REGARDS OF YOUR TRANSFER OF YOUR MONEY AS WE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS TRANSFER OF YOUR MONEY SO FAR THEY STATED THAT THE MONEY SURPOSE TO TRANSFER BEFORE BUT IT FAILS SOME HOW SO NOW I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT GOD HAS HELPED YOU BY YOUR MONEY BEEN DE¨POSITED INTO THIS BANK.

NOW WE CAN WORK ON YOUR INFORMATION ON HOW TO TRANSFER IT INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AS SOON AS YOU PROVIDE YOUR BANK INFORMATION TO AVOID ANY PROBLEM.SO FOLLOW THIS INSTRUCTION IF YOU WANT YOUR MONEY TO TRANSFER INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT ON MONDAY MORNING.

YOU ARE TO PAY THIS BANK THE SUM OF $65.00 USA DOLLAR TO TRANSFER YOUR FUNDS ON MONDAY MORNING NEXT WEEK.SO WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW IS TO HUSSLE FOR THE MONEY SO THAT THIS MONEY WILL TRANSFER FROM THIS BANK.

NOW I WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT LAWYER MR BENJAMINE OTAKA HAS SIGN FOR THEIR AUTHORITY OF TRANSFERING THIS MONEY SO YOU SHOULD GREAT THE MAN VERY WELL BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE THAT HELPS YOU IN THIS MATTER.
MONEY TRANSFER WESTERN UNION INFORMATION.

YOUR FULL NAME.........................
YOUR COUNTRY....................................
NAME OF BANK....................

YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER.........................
ADDRESS.....................
CURRENT TELEPHONE NUMBER........................
OCCUPATION.................................
AGE........
SEX.............



THIS IS INFORMATION YOU CAN USE TO SEND THE MONEY AFTER WE CONFIRM THAT YOU ARE THE OWNER OF THIS MONEY MR GEORGE CHIAK TOLD US.
COUNTRY IS BENIN REPUBLIC.

SENDER NAME..............
RECEIVER NAME...........EKWEALOR PETER O

COUNTRY===============REPUBLIC OF BENIN.

CITY)))))))))))))))))===============COTONOU

MTCN...........................

TEST QUESTION .............GOD


ANSWER ...........$65.00
DIAMOND BANK DIRECTOR DR.HON.MR TONY HUBERT


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¿Chef por primera vez? - Sé un mejor Cocinillas.
Entra en Yahoo! Respuestas.


---------------------------------

¿Chef por primera vez? - Sé un mejor Cocinillas.
Entra en Yahoo! Respuestas.

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam